Career Dreamin'

Hi friends!
I'm sorry I've been missing in these parts! The family has been sick with an evil virus and we're just coming back to life. That, and the day-to-day life doing Stay at Home Mom things has been hectic and exhausting. (What else is new, right?)
In truth, lately I've been missing my work life. My creative life. I find myself trolling blogs, pinterest, and Etsy admiring the work of others and how I'd love to get back into making art again. Before I had the kiddos I had a decent business creating wedding invitations and letterpressed goods for clients; as well as letterpressed stationery in my online store. Since I'm staying a home with the kids, I simply do not have any time anymore for a career. At least, not now anyway. After a long day of mothering, I collapse into bed at night exhausted. I just don't have it in me to sit down and commence a second job after the kids have gone to bed. I need a break too!
Child care is very expensive and I wasn't making enough money to cover it. The nature of my work doesn't really allow me to work for 10 minutes and stop...which is also the nature of mothering young children. Working at home without help is out of the question. Add in the challenges of a special-needs child and forget it! I've resolved to wait until my children are in school full-time to pursue a full-time business again.
But, I want to get creative again. I've been thinking about the goals I have for the future and what it is I really want to be doing professionally. My dream? To have an online shop where I sell whimsical art prints, original art, stationery, and other goods from illustrations I create myself.  I want it to be a cohesive brand...a line of recognizable work. I want to make a decent living off making art that people enjoy. To do that, I'd like to spend my nuggets of free time (they DO happen on occasion) on developing my own personal artistic illustrative style. I'm going to experiment with my art and try lots of new things and see what I like best. I have a hundred ideas swimming in my head; and they are desperate to come out. Now, to find the time to do it! That's the challenge for most SAHMs right?  I think my blog here will be a good place to share my progress and hold myself accountable. Perhaps I can share snippets of my work with you? Share what I'm thinking? I'm willing to bet there's lots of other people out there who are also sitting on a dream and wondering when the time will be right. I figure I may as well start now; that way, when the time IS right I can act on it.
I started a painting months and months ago (it's the image I posted above); long before Noah was born. I finally found a few extra minutes today to finish it. It's nothing fancy, but I'm proud I finally created something!  What do you think? I don't know what the future holds, but I do know it feels good to create again. To experience that old familiar excitement in my stomach when I'm making something I like or have an idea I love. There's a rush of energy that comes with it that feeds my soul. It reminds me that I'm a person too.
Feel free to share your dream or wish here! Sometimes putting down into words can help make it come to life.

Tweet

Love to My Dad

Dad, Happy Father's Day! I hope you don't mind that I highjacked Facebook photos of you.
Folks, my Dad is awesome. He always played catch with me. He taught me 5-card poker as a little kid. He took me fishing with him whenever I asked. He even trusted me with an X-Acto whittling knife when I was 7. When I did cut myself, he made me wait until I was at least 9 until I got the knife back. LOL!!! He used to let me jump off his shoulders into the lake (over and over again at that). He helped me learn to ride a bike. He always listened to me when I shared stories about school. I remember taking turns reading "Heidi" aloud with him. (what a guy!) He used to let me cuddle up on his lap and I'd fall asleep on his shoulder in the rocking chair...usually on Sunday nights when he watched "60 Minutes." The sound of the stopwatch still makes me yawn. Being a Mom now, I understand why he cried for me when I broke my toe (awww). When I got older, he'd take me shopping for clothes; knowing I needed encouragement to come out of my shell a bit. I'll never forget when he took me shopping for my Prom dress. It was so sweet. And later on in life, he came with my Mom to help me find my wedding dress. He just didn't want to miss a moment, even if it was one that wasn't traditionally men would want to be part of. He's a tough guy, a strong guy, a silly guy, a very social guy who is the first to talk to all the strangers in the room and make lame jokes. That's what I love most about my Dad. He's never been shy to be himself. He's unapologetic about his idiosyncrasies; nor should he be. I'm very proud of him for that, and for many other things. He's lead a very colorful life filled with interesting stories; many I still haven't heard. I never tire of them. His boyhood days living in a little tenement apartment, his time doing his part fighting for our country in Vietnam, his crazy times in Boston after the war, when he met my Mom and so forth. (As a funny story example...Dad one day informed me that if I was ever taken prisoner I should take my sock off, fill it with sand, and pee on it to make a billy club. Then, I was to beat my captor in the head with it...and when he was down, kill him by jamming a pencil through his ear into his brain. I guess this was a tip he learned in the Army if he were taken as a POW and figured I should know about it just in case. I always wondered who carries a pencil around with them so diligently? But that's the kind of random information he liked to share with us and I now mull over.)
My father has always made me feel so special and important; he always listened to my every problem (no matter how lame or large) and offered his most caring and sincere advice. Even to this day he lends an unconditional ear and helps keep me on track. Dad, thank you for being YOU. Not only did you teach me about what makes a great father, you taught me what makes a great man. Because of you, I found that in Chris. Your never ending love and support will always live in my heart and now my own chidren's hearts too. I am forever grateful for you, but moreso, forever will I love you.
Happiest Father's Day to you.
Love,
Meg (or "The Mega-Muffin" as you've always called me)

Tweet

5 Months

Dear Little N,
Yesterday you turned 5 months old. Along with this mini birthday came your first illness...sores all in the back of your throat. You scream and cry and stick out your lip. You haven't slept much and neither have your Dad or me. I'm so sorry you are so sick. The good news is that this is just a virus and should go away rather quickly (in a few days). I didn't know why you were screaming or had a fever; we were told it was likely teething. But my "Mommy-Sense" knew better and I brought you in for further inspection where the doctor found the sores in your throat using a bright light and a tongue depressor. Anyway, you don't like to eat right now. I understand since it hurts when you swallow! Poor little fella!
That bad news aside, you've accomplished a lot this past month. You've learned to roll over from your back to your tummy, you've gotten a real hang of grasping objects (even ripping my hair out at the roots...sweet!), and enjoyed all your Jumperoo has to offer. I don't know of anyone more gleeful than you in the Jumperoo. I have to remember to limit your time in there; I think you'd jump all day if I let you.
This past weekend you were baptized. You know that I'm not Catholic but your Dad is. Paige is too; so now you are on that same track. I hope you will find comfort in your faith the way I always have. God loves you no matter what; He made you perfect as you are. Always remember that you are a masterpiece. (God's and mine...hee hee) Treat yourself as such, but remember to be humble. As MY Mom always taught me: "It's nice to be important; but it's more important to be nice." Another thing I'd like you to remember about your faith is that you don't have to do anything to be a winner in God's eyes. Come as you are. Know that God wants you to be successful and bless you as long as you do your part. I like to tell God that I know He's supposed to love you most, but I don't see how anyone could love you more than me. We joke like that. Anyway, I'll do another post about your baptism, but had to mention it here since it happened this past month!
Noah, you are such a treasure to behold each day. You wake up so happy; you gurgle and coo while you wait for me to come get you out of your crib. When I walk in, you look up at me owlishly and give me a huge grin. My heart then melts in a puddle. You are such a happy guy; always smiling and cooing the day away. You are so easy-going; I can take you anywhere and you won't complain! I don't want to jinx it, but you are Mr. Cooperative. You almost NEVER cry or fuss (sometimes I wonder what is up with that?). You've even started sleeping through the night completely (*angels singing here*) I count my lucky stars, believe me.  Not a day goes by where I'm not expressing my thanks for you in some way. You have such a gentle and sweet nature; I often feel like pinching myself when I think about how wonderful life is with you in it. It seemed so wonderful before, but now there is yet another glorious layer of goodness, texture, love, and light. You enrich my life and soothe my soul. Thank you for being my angel from heaven. An angel with the cutest chubby thighs and cheeks that I want to bite.
Love always and forever,
Mama

Tweet

Maren the Wonder-Dog

Maren wants attention too. She was telling me that she feels shoved aside since the kids came along. Probably true. So, I told her I'd take her picture and put it on the blog. She told me to take 2 pictures. She then proceeded to give me her best poses and here they are for you. Happy now, Maren? Diva.

Tweet